The forgery and craftsmanship lessons were painfully basic, far beneath Pyris's level of mastery. To him, they felt like child's play, crude and unrefined.
Yet, he remained in his seat, enduring the monotony out of sheer respect for the dwarf instructor, even though only a handful of students—twenty out of two hundred—bothered to attend.
Sitting at the far back, Pyris quietly muttered corrections whenever the teacher made an error, though his words dissipated into the air, unheard. It was better that way. He had no desire to tarnish the teacher's credibility, no matter how tempting it was to point out the glaring flaws.
When the class finally ended, marking the lunch break, Pyris lingered in the empty classroom. He had no real destination in mind, so he chose to stay behind, staring at the dull, vacant space around him.
The absence of his sister gnawed at his thoughts.
By now, she would have come to fetch him, and they would have spent the break together, relishing each other's company. But today, she hadn't shown up.
Growing restless, Pyris decided to distract himself by checking his status. He hadn't looked at it since his intimate encounters with Aurelia in the car and his serendipitous rendezvous with Varalie.
Still, he could feel the improvement within him, albeit modest.
'Status!" he commanded.
[Name: Pyris Obsidian
Race: Dragon!
Bloodline: Obsidian Lust Bloodline
Race Traits: Lust, All-Elemental trait
Rank: Rank 3
Elements: All elements
Mana: 1130/3000
Age Limit: 16/700
Strength: 92/60
Agility: 92/60
Vitality: 92/60
Stamina: 92/60
INT: 210/500
Charm: 98/100
LPs: 1500pts
Abilities: Lust Breath, Charm, Lust Dragon Transformation
Skills: Lust Slavery, Pregnancy Control, Lust Illusions, Dual Cultivation
Normal Skills: Forgery, Craftsmanship, Technology, Business Management, Sports, Music, Trading
[Cost of stats: 100 LPs per 10 points, 300 LPs per 100 mana points]
"All my stats have jumped by twenty points, and my mana pool has expanded by one hundred points," Pyris marveled, though a hint of frustration colored his tone. "I'm still only Rank 3, but physically, I could rival a Rank 5. Sure, I might lose in a magical duel, but in a physical fight? I'd be unstoppable."
For a fleeting moment, he thought of Aurelia. Despite his gains, she had likely grown stronger as well. The realization struck him with a sense of humility—no matter how much he improved, she was always one step ahead.
"Strange that she hasn't asked how she grew stronger just by being with me…" he mused. "She's probably waiting for me to tell her. Such a patient girl." Pyris smirked at the thought. He would reveal his secret when the time was right.
[Not just her, remember…] a voice within him reminded. Pyris thought of Varalie, too, and the effects of his Yang essence on her. Soon, she would realize the changes.
"Let her figure it out," he said dismissively. "She's smart enough not to make a fuss. Besides, thanks for adding my normal skills back—I was starting to miss them. Almost forgot I was such a genius…" He chuckled.
[Forgot? You were just bragging about it!] Lia, the spirit within him, replied dryly.
"Just take the compliment, you ungrateful spirit," Pyris teased before his sensitive ears caught a conversation outside the classroom.
"Hurry up, or you're going to miss it!" a girl shouted, her voice echoing down the hall. Footsteps quickened in response.
"Yo, what's the rush? What's happening?" a boy's voice asked curiously.
"I don't know, but I heard something's going down. Worst case, it's a prank, but it's worth checking out," another boy replied.
Pyris barely paid attention, uninterested in whatever teenage drama was unfolding. School was rife with petty commotions, and this seemed like just another one. But then, he caught something that made his blood run cold.
"I heard the Vampire Third Prince Ragna is facing off with Lady Obsidian!"
The words struck Pyris like a hammer to the chest. He froze, anger surging through him with each passing second.
"He's at it again? Does he never learn?" a girl's voice asked indignantly.
"Again?" Pyris whispered through clenched teeth, fury coursing through his veins. "He's tormenting my sister, my woman!"
Without hesitation, Pyris stood abruptly. One quick sniff was all he needed to locate his sister—Aurelia's scent was unmistakable. The bond between Obsidians transcended all logic, as deep and mysterious as their lineage itself.
Woooosshhhh!!!
In an instant, Pyris vanished from the classroom, moving faster than the eye could track.
"What the hell was that!?" a girl exclaimed, clutching her skirt against the gust of wind Pyris left in his wake, narrowly avoiding exposure. The boys were too distracted by the blur to notice her near mishap.
Pyris blurred through the hallways like a shadow, leaving whispers and startled gasps in his wake. Girls squealed as the sudden wind almost disheveled their outfits, but Pyris was oblivious to the commotion he caused.
His mind was singularly focused on one thing: Aurelia.
As he reached the cafeteria entrance, he came to a sudden halt. His sharp eyes quickly took in the scene—an encirclement of students, with two figures at the center. His heart sank as he saw what was unfolding.
"…you think you're special? You're nothing but a lucky noble. I'll put you in your place today!" The Vampire prince raised his hand, preparing to strike Aurelia.
Time seemed to freeze for Pyris.
Wooshh!!
Pah! Crack! Crack!!
Two sharp sounds echoed through the cafeteria, followed by a scream of agony. The Vampire prince recoiled, clutching his shattered hand, but it swiftly healed, his vampiric powers mending the broken bones.
Pyris, however, remained unmoved, his grip still lingering in the air where the prince's hand had been.
Pushing the prince back with a casual shove, Pyris sent him stumbling several steps, though he didn't bother to watch him fall. His attention was solely on Aurelia.
"Little brother~" Aurelia's voice was soft, filled with affection as she looked at the strong figure shielding her.
"Are you alright?" Pyris asked, his tone laced with concern as he gently cupped her face, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. To his relief, she appeared unharmed.
Blushing under his warm gaze, Aurelia nodded. "I'm fine, brother. Don't worry."
Without another word, Pyris pulled her into a tight embrace, his hand gently patting her head. Aurelia melted into his arms, returning the hug, savoring his affection despite the crowd of onlookers.
"Who the hell are you?!" the Vampire prince roared, recovering from his shock, his voice dripping with rage.
Things were about to get a lot messier.